During the past few years, language has been segregating the television commercial industry by establishing a general market and a Hispanic market. This segregation has weakened the industry in an already difficult time, after the events of Sept. 11.
Yet recently, U.S. Hispanic advertising agencies and production companies have been filming outside the USA—shooting especially in Mexico and Argentina, but also in other countries. Taking the easy road by filming in other countries because it’s less expensive is only hurting our own economy more, and it will just take that much longer to recover. It’s time to stick together in an already diversified environment. Now, more than ever, it’s important to keep the business in America.
[I’ve been finding that] Hispanic agencies in the United States are demanding that the production companies and directors speak Spanish to work on the Hispanic spots. These Hispanic advertising agencies are creating spots for American products—restaurants, department stores, airlines, automotive manufacturers, to name a few. Why is it a Hispanic can work in the domestic market, but an Anglo cannot work in the Hispanic market?
[The idea is that if] it’s a Spanish spot, you should speak Spanish and be Latin. Even if there’s no dialogue, the talent cannot just look Latin, but has to be Latin. Wait a minute, what happened to the actor who is of Italian or Greek descent, yet looks Latin? What about the graphic designer who is designing show openings and bumpers for Hispanic television, but is not Hispanic? What about the executive reeled in from one of the networks to develop new programming for a Hispanic network based in the United States? What about the Latin music artist who can barely speak English, but wants to sing in English and cross over to sell millions of records? Gloria Estefan crossed over in the mid-’80s, and people flipped over her music. Generally speaking, if the idea is creative, if the lyrics are catchy and the visuals are alluring, it should play to all people.
Language is sometimes crucial. For instance, in Spanish television programs, shows and theatrical releases, a Spanish-speaking director would be a factor, unlike a TV commercial that may have about 15 to 20 seconds of dialogue or a spot that has only beautiful images and lifestyle scenes with a musical track. Could a director who does not speak Spanish shoot these spots? The answer is yes!
In Miami, an e-mail was recently sent to the production companies that read, "Looking for director for TV commercials. Spanish-speaking only, not just ‘okay’ Spanish or Spanglish either, must be fluent in Spanish!" Wow, that’s pretty heavy. (By the way, the e-mail was sent in English.) A friend of mine is an incredible director who has a lot of Spanish language spots on his reel, but speaks broken English. He is trying to break into the general market and is finding it difficult to do so. Because the Hispanic agencies have divided so much of their industry, they have painted us filmmakers into a corner, since the work is mainly done in Spanish.
Why can’t production companies show their work if they have English, Spanish or even German TV commercials on one reel? What is the big deal? Hire the filmmaker because you like what you see, not because of their sex, or what language they speak, or what their color is. The talent is what counts! Hispanics who have knocked on my door have never been turned away because he/she did not speak English. They were hired because their work was incredible!
One of my Hispanic production company colleagues admits that the Hispanic ad agencies believe they need to keep the integrity of their language pure, and that there is a larger talent pool outside of the United States and that production dollars go further in other countries.
We do what we have to do to survive, but we need the Hispanic work to stay in the states and U.S. Hispanic ad agencies to keep their allegiances to the American production companies and the individuals who rely on their business in film and television industry. Go where you have to make your film, but can we just leave the business in the United States for now, until things get better? Keep all advertisers and ad agencies, English or Spanish, working in America to rebuild our travel, hotel, entertainment and, of course, advertising industries!
Recently, I saw a TV commercial on domestic (English) television for an American institution—Discover credit cards—that had Jose Feliciano’s "Feliz Navidad" song as the track, with an English voiceover playing. That truly is breaking the barrier. "Feliz Navidad" was a hit record on the American charts in the 1970s, sung in both Spanish and English. There should be no language barriers if the ad agency is in the United States. English or Spanish—they should embrace the talents of our production companies and directors from all backgrounds, African, Italian, Irish, Russian or Latin. Directors should be hired based on their expertise, style, credits and what they bring to the table creatively and technically—not based on language or race!
For hundreds of years, America has embraced and respected all cultures, races and people of the world. Immigrants are here for the American way of life and to fulfill their dreams of success. The immigrant in the 1800’s and early-1900’s happened to be from Italy, Ireland, France, Germany, etc. The new immigrants of the 2000’s are coming from the Latin American countries mainly. The U.S. Hispanic population is growing at a faster rate than any other ethnic group. Today, the Hispanic population in the USA has reached 31 million—over 11 percent of the total U.S. population! When we look back in time at segregation, it only slowed down the progression to be united as Americans. Let’s go forward and stand together as a nation.
Our film company is working in multi-languages in order to survive in this market. We reached out to Hispanic television over 10 years ago. Consider this—in Miami, the majority of the population is Hispanic. Our staff is bilingual and I myself speak some Spanish, but not fluently. Although I am always trying to improve my Spanish, I have a hard time with the rrrrrrrrr’s.
The absolute underscore is that film, music and all art forms are universal passions—they are the ultimate forms of expression, without barriers.
